Fountain marker



June 30, H. w H`EMPEL ET AL FOUNTAIN MARKER Filed June 11, 194'7l Patented June 30, 19513 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOUNTAIN MARKER Application June 11, 1947, Serial No. 753,878

' 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in fountain markers of the type wherein the marking fluid is fed to a marking tip.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved fountain marker in which the tip is removably mounted on the outer extremity of the valve stem in combination with a main reservoir and an absorption chamber controlled by the valve in such a manner that the marking iiuid is accumulated in the absorption chamber around the upper end of the tip, from which it is' absorbed into the body of the tip with provision for actuating the valve by pressure exerted on the tip in the marking operation.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a simplified construction of a device of Jdhis, type which may be economically manufactured and which may be readily assembled and disassembled for replacement of parts and for adjustment and cleaning.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind mentioned in which the tip is mounted in relation to the immediate accumulation of the marking fluid to permit the tip to be impregnated with the fluid in a gradual and uniform manner, whereby the marking extremity of the tip is kept uniformly saturated during the marking operation.

Additional advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevation of the assembled device with the protective cover cap removed;

Fig. 2 is. an enlarged vertical section through the barrel or housing member with the valve and tip assembly shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 3&-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the nose section of the device with the valve and tip assembly removed; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical elevation of the assembled device similar to Fig. l, b-ut with the cover cap in position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the device is shown as including a barrel constituting the main marking fluid reservoir Il). The barrel is preferably in the form of an elongated hollow cylinder I I, the upper end of which is closed by a conical head I2. The lower end of the member I I is internally threaded at I3, and is adapted to be associated with a nose piece I4 reamed out to form a cylindrical chamber I5 of approximately the same diameter as Z the reservoir I0. rIihe lower wall of the chamber I5 is bevelled forming a valve seat I6. Below the valve seat is an annular chamber Il of somewhat reduced diameter with respect to the diameter of the chamber I5. Below the chamber I'I is a cylindrical bore I8 having la reduced diameter inrespect to the diameter of the chamber Il. The lower end of the nose I4 has a reduced diameter in respect of the diameter of the upper portion of the nose piece, so that the nose piece terminates in the form of a truncated cone with the bore It arranged axially thereof. The upper end of the nose piece I4 is internally threaded at I 9 and is removably connected with the barrel I I by an externally threaded sleeve 2i] adapted to cooperate with the threads I3 and I9 of the barrel II and or the nose Il, respectively. The upper end of the sleeve 2l! has an annular wall 2l forming a central opening 22 that constitutes a guide for the upper end of the valve stem. The external wall of the sleeve 2t has a channel 23 intermediate of its length and a washer 24 is seated in the channel so that, when the nose piece and the barrel are connected, a tight joint will be formed between the lower edge of the barrel and the upper edge of the nose piece.

The valve assembly includes a valve stem 25 having a reduced extension 26 at its upper end and a threaded extension 2l at its lower end, as viewed in Fig. 3. The extremity of the lower end of the extension 2'! is bevelled inwardly, forming a conical tip 28 to the extension 2l. The wall of the valve stern 25 is enlarged to form a iiange 29 below which and mounted on the valve stem is a valve plug 3l! in the form of a washer with its lower end tapered to conform to the taper of the downwardly inclined valve seat I6 at the base of the clhamber. The valve stem 25, with its extensions, is mounted `for movement to open and close the valve I6, 3i! by insertion of the extension 26 into the opening 22, which brings the lower extension of the valve stem 25 into the chamber I'I and maintains it axially in alignment with the axis of the bore I8.

The valve is actuated by an expansion spring 3l nested between the wall 2| of the sleeve 20 and the upper face of the iiange 2S. The spring 3| isrof suiicient strength to normally close the valve I6, Btl, but of a light enough tension so that endwise pressure on the valve Stem will open the valve and permit iiow of the marking fluid from` the reservoir through the chamber I5 and into the chamber Il.

The marking tip is in the form of a cylindrical body 32 with a tapered bottom wall 33. The

upper wall of the tip is hollowed out to form a recess 34 so that, when the tip is mounted on threaded or serrated extension 21 of the valve stem 25, it will be retained against displacement, yet will be readily removable therefrom. It may be mounted either by threading it onto the threaded extension of the valve stem or pressing it into position over the serrations. The cylindrical section of the tip has substantial surface contact with the bore i8 which acts as a guide together with the opening 22 to hold the valve stem centered and to permit the sliding movement of the valve stem for operation of the valve I6, 30. This section of the tip also serves to restrict the flow from the chamber I7, causing the fluid to accumulate around the upper end of the tip.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of the absorption chamber l1 which, it will be noted by reference particularly to Fig.

3 of the drawing, has an internal diameter somewhat in excess of the upper cylindrical wall of the tip so that the tip is in contact with the marking fluid accumulated in the chamber il when communication with the main reservoir is established by the unseating of the valve Iii, 35i. This permits the marking fluid to be absorbed by the upper end of the tip, which fluid is then gradually absorbed into the body of the tip through which it percolates gradually and uniformly to the marking extremity 33 of the tip. The annular space between the external wall of the upper part of the 'tip and the inner wall of the chamber Il is suicient to submerge the upper end of the tip in the liquid accumulated in the chamber l 'l and is also suilicient to accommodate for any expansion of the upper end of the tip to prevent binding and to permit free action of the tip Iwhen the valve stem is moved to and from its seat.

It will be understood that the valve assembly is designed so that normal pressure on the tip in the marking operation will be suflicient to overcome the resistance of the spring 3l so that, during the marking operation, communication between the main reservoir and the chamber I'I is established and maintained to insure the supplying of the marking fluid to the chamber Il for absorption by the upper end of the tip. The upward movement of the valve stem. is limited by the upper face of the flange contacting the bottom of the sleeve 2G.

In the construction of the device, it is contemplated that the entire assembly shall be made of some light metal, preferably of aluminum, although not confined thereto, so that the marker may be readily carried in the pocket of the user.

In order to make the marker a convenient device to be thus carried, we prefer to add, as a part of the structure, a cover cap 35 which may be made of any suitable plastic material and in the form of a conical hollow member, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The internal diameter of the cap is dimensioned so that it will iit over the nose of the marker and enclose the nose end of the assembly.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the structure described will fully accomplish the objects hereinbefore set out, and that the parts may be economically fabricated, assembled and disassembled.

In filling the marker, it is only necessary to remove the nose section from the barrel and charge the barrel with the desired quantity of marking fluid, and then reconnect the nose with the barrel by means of the threaded sleeve. The joint between the barrel and the nose is liquid sealed by the intermediate washer.

The device maybe used in the marking operation by causing a slight pressure on the marking tip, thereby insuring the gradual and unform flow of the markingr fluid to the marking extremity of the tip.

While we have illustrated a specic embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure may be modied and that the invention consists of the structure and arrangement of parts combined in the manner hereinafter denedin the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fountain marker comprising, in combination, a fluid containing supply reservoir, a chamber for receiving iiuid therefor from said reservoir, valve means for controlling flow of fluid from said reservoir to said chamber, a tubular extension from said chamber, the internal crosssectional dimension of the the extension being smaller than that of the chamber, and a iiuid conducting marking tip connected to said valve means and extending from within said chamber slidably through and beyond said extension, said tip being in substantially fluid sealing engagement with the inside wall of said extension whereby fiuid in the chamber is in contact only with the upper portion of said tip, said valve means being actuatable by pressure on said tip.

2. A fountain marker comprising, in combination, a fluid containing supply reservoir, an auxiliary chamber for receiving fluid therefor from said reservoir, a valve including a valve stem between said reservoir and said chamber, a tubular extension from said chamber, the internal cross-sectional dimension of the extension being smaller than that of the chamber, an absorbent marking tip connected to said Valve stem and having a portion thereof in closing engagement within said tubular extension and a portion extending into said chamber whereby the fluid in the chamber is in contact only with the upper portion of said tip, and means normally closing said valve responsive to pressure on said tip to open the same.

3. A fountain marker comprising, in combination, a fluid containing supply reservoir, an auxiliary chamber for receiving fluid from said reservoir, a Valve seat between said reservoir and said chambery a movable valve stem disposed axially of said valve seat and extending therethrough, a valve plug mounted formovement with said valve stem and engageable with said valve seat, a tubular extension from said auxiliary chamber7 the internal cross-sectional dimension of the extension being smaller than that of of the chamber, an absorbent marking tipconnected to said valve stem and having a portion thereof in close fitting engagement within said tubular extension and a portion extending into said auxiliary chamber whereby the fluid in the chamber is in contact only with the upper portion of said tip, and means normally closing said valve responsive to pressure on said tip to open the same.

4. In a fountain marker, a fluid containing supply chamber, a second chamber, a valve seat between said supply chamber and said second chamber, a tubular extension of reduced internal cross-sectional dimension at the discharge end of said second chamber, a valve assembly including a valve stem and a valve plug for controlling the flow of liquid from said supply chamber to said second chamber, and an absorbent marking tip mounted on said valve stem and having a portion thereof within said second chamber in spaced relation with the inner wall surface of the latter and a portion thereof mounted in close-tting engagement with the inner wall surface of said tubular extension thereby restri-cting the flow from said second chamber to cause an accumulation of uid therefor around the end of said tip within said second chamber.

5. In a device of the class described, a liquid containing supply barrel, a nose piece having an auxiliary chamber therein with a Valve seat at its inlet end and an outlet opening of reduced size at its discharge end, releasable means for connecting said barrel and nose piece, a valve including a valve stem and a valve plug for controlling the 110W of fluid from said barrel to said auxiliary chamber, and a marking tip of absorbent material removably attached to the lower end of the valve stem, said tip being of cylindrical shape and of a size to provide close-tting engagement with said outlet opening, said tip having a portion thereof in absorbing relation with fluid in said auxiliary chamber and a portion mounted in the discharge opening from said chamber restricting the flow therethrough for all operating positions of the tip to cause an accumulation of uid at the end of said tip remote from the marking surface thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, a uid containing reservoir, a nose piece removably secured to an end thereof, said nose piece including a cylindrical-shaped chamber for receiving iiuid from said reservoir and a cylindrical-shaped passageway between said chamber and the tip of the nose piece, the diameter of the passageway being smaller than the diameter of the chamber, movable valve means in the nose piece for controlling flow of fluid into the chamber, and an absorbent marking tip connected to said valve means for movement therewith, said tip being of approximately the same diameter as the passageway and slidably disposed therein so as to extend into the chamber whereby only the sur'- face of the upper portion of the tip within the chamber is directly exposed to fluid.

'7. A fountain marker, comprising a iluid containing reservoir and a nose portion adjacent thereto; a chamber in the nose portion for receiving uid from said reservoir; a passageway between the chamber and the tip of the nose portion, the transverse dimension of the passage- Way being less than that of the chamber; an absorbent marking tip having a transverse external dimension substantially equal to the transverse internal dimensional of the passageway slidably disposed in the passageway so that the upper portion thereof is positioned within the chamber and exposed to the uid therein, the lower portion in the passageway restricting the free flow of uid therethrough, the marking tip being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and yieldable means urging the tip toward the extended position-whereby when the tip is forced toward the retracted position the surface area of the tip in contact with the iiuid in the chamber is increased.

HERBERT W. HEMPEL. WALTON C. MAR/SH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 426,622 Madden Apr. 29, 1890 '748,383 Langill Dec. 29, 1903 1,542,333 Buehrer June 16, 1925 1,857,467 Marsh May 10, 1932 2,029,152 Bonkowski Jan. 28, 1936 2,250,444 Brigham July 29, 1941 2,320,823 Kingson June 1, 1943 2,330,053 Herb Sept. 21, 1943 2,453,201 Cushman Nov. 9, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 255,386 Great Britain July 19, 1926 

